Into the Blaze
by Dragon-Master-Hiei
Summary: Hiei saves a little girl from a fire and meets Keith, a firefighter who suggest that he take an exam and become a firefigher but can Hiei ignore the teasing from Yusuke and Kuronue? And what will Naoko think?
1. Intro

Into the Blaze

By Jaganshi Hiei

You know me as Hiei Jaganshi. A fire demon from Makai. I _was_ known as the Forbidden Child but now I'm called the Master of the Darkness Flame. Slowly, I have carved a reputation for myself that every demon would fear. I have a life in the ningenkai as well. Well, I got bored so I'm writing this down. (Yes you baka ningens I _do_ know how to use a computer.) Sadly it started because of the Detective. A simple suggestion or joke… becoming a full-blown story.

…

…

… Remind me to kill him.

Anyways, this is how it started out and encase you're wondering, it is true.


	2. Chapter 1: “A Simple Suggestion”

_Chapter 1: "A Simple Suggestion"_

I was walking down the streets by myself when I sensed the familiar spirit energy of Yusuke Urameshi. My crimson eyes flickered with annoyance.

"Hey Hiei! What's up?" he called.

I stopped and glanced over my shoulder. The idiot, Kuwabara, was with him. I just barely held a sigh back.

I continued walking.

"Hey! Wait up!" he ran up next to me. I resisted the urge to teleport, disappear right next to them and they wouldn't be able to find me until I wanted them to.

I stopped. "What do you want?" I asked, my voice cold, my emotions locked in that mental, small room in the back of my mind, as my barriers went up.

"Well, I was wondering where you've been for the last two months," he replied. I held back a smirk from the annoyance in his voice.

"Why the hell should I tell you?"

"Fine. Don't. But hey… " Urameshi trailed off as he stared at something behind me. I was turning around to see what he was staring at when I heard a loud, a very, _very_ loud siren. My body went rigged as the sound vibrated in my chest.

I turned around to see a fire truck driving by. I had never been this close to one. The sirens were ringing in my ear as it drove by fast.

Urameshi and Kuwabara got quiet as they watched it drive by. It was Urameshi who spoke first. "There must be a fire nearby."

Kuwabara nodded in agreement.

I looked at them, and then pretending to run a hand through my hair I pulled my bandana away from my Jagan just enough so I could search.

My curiosity was too strong. I wanted to see what would happen. How ningens handled fire.

I focused on my Jagan and found what I was looking for. A building was on fire and humans were working on putting the fire out. Others dressed just like the first ones in clothing that looked heavy were going inside the building to rescue anyone left inside the flaming building.

Urameshi and Kuwabara ran off to watch. I watched them go then looked to make sure no ningens were watching, then I teleported to a roof by the fire.

Smoke turned the sky black and flames turned the cool February weather into an intense heat. The wind blew blowing embers around. I felt a few hot embers touch my face and hands. It didn't feel painful but more of a warm feeling as the flames greeted me. It didn't matter that they were burning hot; I was a fire youkai after all.

I pulled my bandana off and closed my eyes to watch the rescue fire teams progress. No one was in there except for a little girl. I cursed. Why did it have to be a kid? A full-grown ningen I probably wouldn't have cared but a child's a different story. Cursing my soft spot for kids I teleported into the building, right in front of the little girl. She was covered in soot and was coughing from the smoke.

I pulled my scarf off and put it around her mouth and nose.

"Don't remove that," I told her, picking her up. "Hold onto me and _no matter what_ don't scream." The little girl nodded, eyes widening as she saw my Jagan but she didn't scream and kept quiet. I coughed as I took a breath. Smoke wouldn't kill me but it was an annoyance. It irritated my throat and lungs and a few times it's made me loose my voice and it also irritates my Jagan and the little girl held on to me tightly. "Now, close your eyes."

She buried her face in my cloak and tightened her grip. I teleported to one of the lower floors, a wall of flames separated me from the fire team. I shifted the little girls weight and used my spirit energy to get the flames to move.

If I was lucky the fire team wouldn't think it was un-natural and more of good luck.

"Hey! Hold on we're coming," one said as he saw us. The others stayed behind to help him get back over the rubble. I handed him the girl and he handed her to his partner and looked back to me.

/_Damn. He's not going to let me go./_ I sighed and climbed over the rubble with him.

The guy who took the little girl looked at me. "Is there anyone else in here?"

I shook my head.

"Alright. Let's get outta here," he called to his teammates. We all started to walk out of the burning building.

I read the thoughts of one of the firefighters and saw that he knew every danger in this building. I have to say I was impressed. The ceiling creaked and everyone looked up except for the girl who kept her head down.

I got the flames away from the ceiling. The last thing _any_ of us wanted was the ceiling to collapse on us. I would survive but the child more then likely wouldn't and neither would the firefighters. The firefighters quickened their pace and soon we were all out.

I suddenly felt nervous. A bunch of human took the little girl and out and put an oxygen mask on her face. I waved them off when they tried to get one on me. They made me sit down even though I told them I was fine and tried to glare at them.

Urameshi and Kuwabara stared at me and ran over. "Hiei, what the hell were you doing in there?" Kuwabara asked.

"Obvious. He saved the little girl," Urameshi said.

I felt the urge to kill the two morons rise until the fireman who took the little girl from me came over. He pulled his helmet off and mask. "Hey kid." I twitched at the 'kid' remark. I allowed one person to get away with that remark and this guy wasn't him.

"You're a hero." That made me twitch even worse.

Yusuke and Kuwabara grinned. "Yup! That's our Hiei!"

He walked away when someone called as Urameshi looked at me. "What?" I asked, coldly.

"You really would make a great fireman." I shot him a look. He grinned. "Just a simple suggestion. I mean think about it. You can control fire, you don't get burned," he added with more of a whisper. "You're not human."

I nodded. "I get it detective but why would _I_ save human lives?"

He pointed to the little girl who was crying now. "Why would you save hers?"

I quickly thought of the only remark that was still in my head. "Hn."

"Alright buddy." I glared at Yusuke. "See ya around!" And off they went to leave me thinking.

The little girl walked over and held up my now soot streaked scarf. "Thank you mister for saving me. Here's your scarf back."

I took the scarf from her and risked a smile. "It's no problem. Are you alright?"

She nodded. "Yes," she said. "Why do you have that…" she seemed to sense I wanted it secret and she tapped her head.

I continued to smile. "It's a secret. Now, find your parents and stay with them. Do me a favor too and keep me a secret, Okay?"

She nodded again then heard her mom called her, crying. She bowed quickly. "Thank you!" Then she ran off to her mother. I sighed.

_Great_… a hero. Me… a _hero_. This day was getting better by the minute… and that was sarcasm in case you didn't notice.


	3. It’s not easy for a human that is

_Chapter 2: "It's not easy… for a human that is."_

I sat there for a few moments, waiting for the smoke to clear from my lungs. The man who took the child from me I guessed was the leader of the team. I watched as he took control of everything.

It was about an hour before the fire was out. The leader came over to me, introducing himself as Keith. I reluctantly shook his hand.

"That was pretty brave of you. Did you get hurt at all?" I just shook my head. "Are you sure you're throat and lungs are alright? You don't feel sick or dizzy or anything?" Again

I shook my head. "What's your name, kid?"

That was it. "I'm _not_ a kid and my name's Hiei." Wait, what made me tell him my real name instead of my human disguise? What made me tell him at all?

Keith grinned. "Well, Hiei, You're a kid if you're younger then me and you're a kid if I say so."

I glared at him resisting the urge to give him a glimpse of what I really was just to get him to shut up and leave me alone. I knew I was far older…. At least seven hundred years older. "Hn." I hesitated. "What does it take to be a firefighter?" What the hell possessed me to ask I still don't know.

He grinned. "Guts, strength and a lot of discipline. It's not easy."

I blinked. "Okay. Where're they staying?" I nodded to the family.

"Well, we'll take care of them and once the doctors give you the 'Okay' you can go on home." Doctors? Damn… I couldn't see them. They wouldn't let under my bandana go unnoticed and even if I could use my Jagan to trick them I wasn't going to risk the chance of getting in trouble with the Reikai.

I got up and started to walk away. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hey, calm down kid. Smoke's as…"

"Deadly as fire. I know. Smoke can kill you before fire and you're more then likely going to die from the smoke before the fire. I don't have any burns or smoke trauma. I'm _fine._ I just want to go home."

"And you will but…"

I turned into an ally, pulled my bandana off and got into Keith's head, making him hesitate going after me then I teleported home. When he turned the corner I wouldn't be there.


	4. Chapter 3: “No, I mean it”

_Chapter 3: "No, I mean it."_

I made it home and quickly and quietly got into my room. I discarded my soot-covered clothes and switched into my normal outfit instead of the ningen clothes I was wearing. I had finished putting the last belt on when I heard Kuronue say something behind me. I turned around and smirked.

"Not bad, kid." This was the one person in all four realms that I allowed to call me 'kid'. "You might have gotten away with your little game of hero except for the fact that it's all over the TV."

"What!" I walked into Naoko's room and turned the TV on. The headlines read 'Teen saves girl from fire' and it was showing everything from early, including _my_ face.

I just barely managed not to blow the TV up right there as Kuronue started laughing hysterically.

"Damn it…! Shut up before Naoko comes…"

"Hiei-sama, I'm home," Naoko called, announcing her presence.

I winced and shut the TV off and unplugged it for safe measures.

"Yo," I called, walking out. I smiled at her. Naoko Youko was part fox demon and part earth demon. A half-breed like myself and almost as strong. She had apple green hair cut about by her chin and little parts that were longer. She looked at me with beautiful cinnamon colored eyes and she smiled back.

"Hi Hiei-sama."

"Hey." I smiled and noticed Kuronue disappeared. Paranoia made itself known in the back of my mind as I wondered if he was plotting something. I walked over and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her tight against my chest. "Where were you all day?"

"Kurama wanted to have a brother-sister day."

Kurama was Naoko's half-brother. I could often see the resemblance.

"Really? All day?"

"For the most part," she replied. "I visited Silrowen while I was out."

I smiled as I thought of the overly hyperactive bat-demon that was my stepdaughter. "And how's she doing?"

"Annoying as always."

I laughed. My crimson eyes glanced over to the television set. I was praying that Kuronue wasn't going to pull something. Naoko noticed my nervousness.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her beautiful cinnamon eyes looking slightly worried.

"Nothing," I said. I felt panic rise up because I said it _way_ too fast.

"No," Naoko narrowed her eyes at me. "What happened while I was gone?" she asked suspiciously.

"Nothing," I tried again. I glanced at the TV as I saw Kuronue appear, swinging the plug like he did with his scythe.

I glared at him and shook my head. He just snickered and plugged it in, turned it on and disappeared.

I should have changed the channel before I shut it off… I felt like an idiot as Naoko stared at the television set.

"What on _earth_ did I miss today!" She looked at me. "Are you feeling alright?"

I covered my face with my hand as they showed me and Keith shake hands… somehow the TV made it look like I wasn't being as reluctant like I had actually been.

Those damn paparazzi bastards…

"What the hell is going on here?"

I leaned against the wall, imagining all the evil things I planned to do to Kuronue. "I was curious on how ningens handled fires and… found a little girl trapped inside…"

"Wow… that's almost… _nice._ Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

I scowled. "I'm _fine._" I was suddenly very annoyed.

"That's just not—That's just very unlike you."

"I know it is." _Trust _me I knew it was. That's why I tried to hide the evidence.

"You know… You think you'd know better then to hide stuff from me 'cause I'll always find it."

I held a smirk back at all the things I've hid from her… like my collection of gems. Naoko was obsessed with gems and out of pure instincts I hid mine. Part of me wouldn't put it past her that she would take them when my back was turned "Yeah," I replied.

"So you going to tell me what's going on today because you're just acting _weird_."

"Are you going to sit down first?"

She sighed. "I suppose at this rate I might as well," she replied, taking a seat.

I sat next to her and told her what had happened.

"Okay, have you lost it completely?" she asked when I had finished.

I gave her a look. "I thought you would have known by now the stupid soft spot I have for small children."

"Oh right, silly me. How foolish of me," she stated sarcastically.

I shot a glare at her. "Hn."

"Typical response, right?"

"Again, Hn."

"You better hope no one else sees this."

I twitched. "Damn it…!"

"Yeah I can only imagine if Kaname saw this."

I swore vividly and stood up.

Naoko started laughing.

I glared at her.

"Oh glare at me all you want, that was funny."

"Hn. Maybe for you… and Kuronue, don't think I won't get you back for that." I called, sensing the bat demon nearby.

"It'd be funny if everyone we knew saw this."

I sat back down. "Damn… and with my luck they will…"

"Well yeah, that's your luck, isn't it?"

"Your luck's the exact same as mine."

"This is true," she replied.

I got quiet for a moment.

"What'cha thinking about?"

"…What would you think if I got a job…?" I asked hesitantly.

She started laughing. "Heh, that's funny. You're joking right?"

I scowled. "No, I mean it, Naoko."

"Why the hell would you need a job? I'm a writer, remember?" She smirked.

"Then why is it that you tend to go to karaoke for 'extra money'?"

"Shut up, I thought it would be fun."

"Yeah, yeah."

Kuronue chose that moment to appear. "Sounds like a good idea."

Naoko sighed. "You guys are both idiots. Why am I not use to this by now?"

Kuronue smirked, his pointed ears twitched. I closed my eyes and smirked as well.

"I mean really, why is almost everyone I know a complete idiot and why am I not use to it by now?"

"Because idiots attract idiots, Naoko," Kuronue and me replied at the same time.

"Yeah, that's real nice. Thanks for that."

"You're welcome," we said at the same time again.

"Okay that's starting to get a little creepy. Knock it off."

I remained silent and stared at Kuronue as Kuronue laughed.

"Figures. I'm stuck here living with identical twin idiots."

"Hn," I replied.

Kuronue grinned. "At least it's not the Protozoan."

"This is a good point," Naoko replied.

I yawned as Kuronue grinned and watched the television. "'A boy of nineteen, black spiky hair, brown-red eyes, a white starburst shape in his hair, about five foot five'," Kuronue quoted the newscaster. "'Named Hiei.'"

The little girl I rescued came on the screen. "He gave me his scarf and told me not to scream no matter what and to keep it over my nose. Thank you, Mister for saving me!"

She grinned. I couldn't help but smile.

"I'll never understand that soft spot for kids and that completely lying just so you know," Naoko said.

I smirked until the girl's mother came on the screen. "I want to thank you… you saved my little girl… there should be more heroes like you." I winced again.

"Oh, she doesn't know the half of it does she?"

"Obviously not," Kuronue said, snickering.

The little girl came back on as the reporters asked what it was like in the burning house. "It was scary and hot. I couldn't breath but the nice man carried me out." She grinned. "I won't tell! I promised!" She said tapping her forehead where my Jagan would be. I winced and looked away.

"So much for subtly."

"Oh," Kuronue said. "That's the one thing you forgot about while hiding your ruined clothes. You're bandana. You don't have one on right now."

"Why did I not notice that!" Naoko asked.

"Because you're an oblivious moron?" I asked.

"Okay I'm a lot of things. Oblivious is one of them but moron is not on the list," Naoko replied.

"Alright, if you say so," I replied.

"What is that? Giving in? You don't give in, in an argument."

"Are you sure he's alright Naoko?"

"At this point I'm not sure."

I folded my arms. "Damn it! I'm fine. I've said it a thousand times!"

Then Urameshi showed up on the screen with a big stupid grin on his face. "Yup! That's our Hiei. Always so selfless and kind! He a big—little softy." Behind him Kuwabara held his hand up to where I would stand to him.

"They're gonna die now, aren't they?"

I said nothing but I was sure I had an evil smirk on my face.

Kuronue glanced at me. "I'm sure they are."

"Yeah I don't doubt that for one second," Naoko said.

"You have _no _idea on what I'm going to do to them," I said.

"I don't know. I can imagine quiet a bit," Naoko replied.

"I'm sure you can," I said.

"And what's that suppose to mean?"

"Nothing."

"Sure…" Naoko said.

I walked away into my room to see if I could fix the clothes I hid earlier. It was one of a few outfits I owned.

"I wonder what he's planning now," Naoko said.

"I'm sure you could find out, kid," Kuronue replied and disappeared.

"Oh boy. This can't end well."


	5. I might try it

_Chapter 4: "I might try it."_

I walked out of my room and sighed, holding a ruined shirt.

Naoko said nothing.

"…So you think it's stupid?" I asked.

"Stupid isn't the word. Weird is probably the better description."

"Yeah, you're right."

"Aren't I always?" Naoko asked, smirking.

I smirked. "You wish you were."

"Yeah I do. You're right."

"'Aren't I always?'" I mimicked her.

She blinked. "Er, Shut up," she replied.

I laughed.

"Hn. For your information you're about as right as much as I am."

"I know, my little fox," I said.

"W-well, whatever."

Suddenly what I was thinking just popped out of my mouth. "I think I might try it though."

"Have you completely lost your mind?"

I sighed. "No, I haven't but think about it… it'd be something I could do easily."

"To say the least but I still say you've lost your mind."

"Okay, _how_ have I lost my mind?"

"Heh, this is just very, _very_ insanely unlike you," she replied.

"I know it is."

"Then what the hell are you thinking?"

"We haven't been attacked for a while. You go out to do whatever it is you do in your little human life and I'm left here bored as hell. What do you think I'm thinking?"

"I hate it when you have a good point," she sighed.

"I know you do. That's why I try to always have one."

She sighed. "Whatever."

I remained silent for a moment. "If you don't want me to do it then I won't."

"If you want to do it then go ahead. It's not like I can stop you."

I was giving her the power to stop me now. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I guess I'm sure."

I smiled and sat next to her then laed down so my head was on her lap. "Is the twitchy little kitsune tired?" I said in a chibi-ish voice.

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"Maybe it's you're not feeling well? You normally put up a better argument then that."

"Maybe I just didn't feel like putting up an argument today," she replied.

I sat up and looked at her, looking serious. "Naoko, you know me better then anyone and I think you know I would take the job… You know I'm secretly a good guy. At times you won't let me live the fact down." And I swear if any ningen, demon or other creature I don't know uses that against me 'good guy' or not I _will_ kill them.

"I guess you're right. I never will let you live it down."

I sighed then pulled her close to me, smirking. "I know you won't… but at least I can deal with you."

"Oh can you really?" she challenged sarcastically.

I smirked a little more and kissed her. "Yeah, I think I can."

"Yeah, I think you can too," she smiled.

I moved so her head was resting on my chest. "You really don't feel like giving an argument today, do you?"

"What was your first clue?"

"So what did Kurama or Silrowen put you through that made you so…" I waited for the right word. "Calm and tired today?"

"Well you know how Silrowen is," she replied.

I snickered. "Yeah, just like you." _And just like Kuronue,_ I thought, not forgetting what he pulled earlier.

She sighed. "Yeah, I'd say she's just like me on a constant sugar high."

That is how someone could describe Silrowen. "Heh, you're right."

"Then again, of course I'm right," she replied.

"Hn," I kissed her head. "Good night, fox girl."

"Yeah, good night. Let's see if you're any more normal in the morning." I smiled and fell asleep quickly.


End file.
